Emma's breath came in quick, controlled draws, each one a desperate attempt to cage the storm raging inside her.
"You dare," she finally whispered, her voice low, almost breaking. "You dare speak their names."
I tilted my head, feigning innocence. "Why not? They're only names. Truth doesn't lose its sting because it's spoken aloud."
Her eyes snapped to mine—sharp, molten, and furious. "You think you can use that to bargain with me? To drag my family's filth into the open like some—some cheap card in a game?"
"Oh, Lady Voss," I said softly, leaning forward just enough for my words to brush the air between us. "You mistake me. I'm not bargaining. I'm… enlightening."
Her fists trembled. Not from fear, but from the effort of restraint. I could almost hear the grinding of her teeth.
